Spices can be used to give food an interesting and exciting taste. The word spice refers to any dried part of a plant, other than the leaves, used for seasoning and flavoring a recipe. They are commonly divided into the categories of spices, spice seeds, and herbs. Many spices have been believed to have medicinal value. A spice may be available in several forms: fresh, whole dried, or pre-ground dried. Spices contain high portions of fat, protein, and carbohydrate.